Spanish Slang

Spanish Slang Words & Phrases

Slang is the use of informal words and phrases that aren’t part of the formal language. This includes many swears and insults.

Most Spanish courses don’t teach slang and many dictionaries don’t define slang words and expressions. Nonetheless, slang is commonly used in conversation and is a colorful and fun part of language learning.

On this page I’ve summarized a few common slang expressions I’ve encountered in Mexico and Argentina. This is not an exhaustive list of every Spanish slang term, but rather a selection of a few of my favorites.

Spanish slang is highly regional. It is not universal. Expressions used in Mexico, for example, may not be used or even understood in Spain, Argentina or other Latin countries.

Slang in any language is also age-dependent. Older people generally use different slang than teenagers.